Chemainus firefighter Alex Meyer is at Vancouver General Hospital for a stem cell transplant.
The long-awaited and anxiously-anticipated treatment for his Hodgkins lymphoma, diagnosed in March 0f 2020, will keep him in Vancouver for about six weeks. He’ll spend four weeks in hospital and two weeks as an outpatient, with wife Ashley anxiously awaiting his return at home.
Ashley did make the trip over to Vancouver with Alex for his admittance, but is unable to stay and visit due to COVID protocols. When contacted in Vancouver, she said Alex would either get the procedure Wednesday or Thursday.
“It’s going OK,” Ashley said. “I’m a little bit anxious. I’ll feel better when he’s in and admitted.”
Everything’s otherwise been status quo since the Courier last checked in with the couple for a front page article published on Jan. 7.
“They did a scan and things look good but, of course, his cancer’s still in there,” said Ashley.
Once she returns home, Ashley and Alex will be keeping the lines of communication open by telephone and other means to fill the personal void.
The reality of where they’re at with Alex’s cancer situation is really sinking in now.
“We haven’t really been apart for a long time,” Ashley noted. “He’s definitely a social and emotional person. He likes to be around people.”
They’re both hoping for the best at this point and that it could be the end of a long and tough journey on the horizon.
“At the 14-day mark, they’ll be able to see how he’s doing,” said Ashley.
Alex was fortunate to be healthy enough to use his own stem cells that were extracted last week rather than have to rely on a donor that can often lead to complications.
Ashley and Alex had an emotional 2020 and this is the continuation of that process. COVID restrictions hit around the same time as his diagnosis and they had to alter their wedding plans to get married by a commissioner in their living room last March 29 instead of in Greece.
Related story: Firefighter’s fitness, positive attitude prominent in cancer battle
Alex then went into six months of chemotherapy starting last April in Victoria for the first two appointments before switching to Duncan. He went in for chemo about every 12 days for the first round until Sept. 15.
After the six months, Alex was prepped for radiation but did not end up going that route. Chemotherapy commenced again in late November and finished on Jan. 18.
And here we are with all his family and friends and the Chemainus community as a whole wishing for the best possible outcome.
